Unified web-based system for the delivery, scoring, and reporting of on-line and paper-based assessments
First Claim
1. A unified on-line and paper, web-based testing and reporting system, comprising:
- at least one on-line assessment station;
at least one on-line paper test downloading and scanned test record editing station;
at least one production line test record scanning and editing station; and
a server connected via the Internet to each said assessment station, each said scanned test record editing station, and via a LAN to each said production line scanning and editing station, for accepting scanned and edited test records, for scoring said accepted test records, and storing assessments of said accepted test records;
wherein said server makes reports of said stored assessments selectively available on the Internet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hardware and software implemented, standardize testing, scoring and reporting system has a network interface, being either LAN or the Internet. A test is selected from a library, assigned to a group of examinees, and a record is made of the assignment. The test is available on-line, or downloaded, or both. Downloaded tests are saved as PDF files and printed into booklets. Examinees record answers on bubble sheets, which are scanned at the customer site or shipped to a processing plant. Individual scanned answer sheets provided data for individual scanned records. Scanning software performs an initial auto-correct and then performs an initial check for errors in scanned records. Tests are batched for later inspection. Scanned records with errors are classified as invalid and the test papers are separated. Prompts are generated for a human test paper inspection and scanned record editing. Accepted batches of scanned records are sent to a scanned records server where a second scanned records error check is performed. Prompts are sent to the appropriate scanning station for further human editing of invalid scanned records. Once all records are valid they are scored and the test results stored in a database, which is accessed by a reporting subsystem associated with an on-line server.
137 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A unified on-line and paper, web-based testing and reporting system, comprising:
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at least one on-line assessment station;
at least one on-line paper test downloading and scanned test record editing station;
at least one production line test record scanning and editing station; and
a server connected via the Internet to each said assessment station, each said scanned test record editing station, and via a LAN to each said production line scanning and editing station, for accepting scanned and edited test records, for scoring said accepted test records, and storing assessments of said accepted test records;
wherein said server makes reports of said stored assessments selectively available on the Internet.
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2. A unified assessment testing and reporting system for distributed sources, comprising:
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at least one test paper scanning workstation for providing digitized records of each test answer sheet scanned into a scanned test record, said scanning workstation having software for selectively editing each said scanned test record;
a server connected via a communication connection to each said scanning workstation, for accepting scanned and edited test records, for scoring said accepted test records, and storing said scored assessment test records;
wherein said server makes reports of said stored assessment test records selectively available via a communication connection.
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3. A unified assessment testing and reporting system for distributed sources, comprising:
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at least one test paper computerized scanning workstation for providing digitized records of each test answer sheet scanned into as a scanned test record, said scanning workstation being operated by an operator;
software resident in said computerized scanning workstation for error checking each said scanned test record for errors and for prompting said operator for editing each error containing scanned test record;
a server connected via a communication connection to each said computerized scanning workstation, for accepting scanned and edited test records, for scoring said accepted test records, and storing said scored assessment test records;
wherein said server makes reports of said stored assessment test records selectively available via a communication connection.
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4. A unified test delivery, scoring and reporting system, comprising:
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a server connected on-line to the Internet, said server accepting digitized test result records and analyzing each said test result record for editing said record as necessary;
at least one on-line testing station, for testing an on-line examinee, said on-line testing station providing test result records to said server via the Internet;
wherein said server analyzes each said on-line testing station test result record for conformity, and prompts the examinee when there is non-conformity, and wherein after said responses conform, said server scores said response and generates a database of score assessments;
a least one on-line editing station, being operable by an operator, said on-line editing station delivering digitized test result records to said server via the Internet;
wherein said server analyzes each delivered test result record from each said on-line editing station and prompts said operator for editing said test result records; and
wherein after a said test results is successfully edited said server scores said test results and generates a database of score assessments;
wherein said sever makes reports available on the Internet of score assessments in said database.
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5. A unified system for reporting on-line and paper based assessments, comprising:
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a server;
a plurality of dispersed editing workstations each having an operator, said workstations being connected to said server and each including means for digitizing assessment test records, and for displaying said digitized assessment test records to said operator;
software associated with at least some of said plurality of editing workstations for analyzing said digitized assessment test records, and for prompting said operator for editing said test records at said workstation; and
software associated with said server, for analyzing said digitized assessment test records on at least a portion of said plurality of said editing workstations, for prompting for human editing thereof at said workstation.
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6. A system for digitizing paper based assessments, comprising:
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an OMR scanner for scanning answer sheets and having at least two output trays and a gate for directing scanned answer sheet paper to either tray;
an OMR reading head on said scanner for scanning answer sheets for generating digitized output as a function of scanned marks on said scanned answer sheets, said digitized output defining a scanned test record for each scanned answer sheet;
a control circuit connected to said scanner for controlling the gating operation of said scanner;
a stored software template associated with said control circuit defining the format, layout and configuration of the scanned answer sheet;
stored software associated with said control circuit including stored conformity data for each said scanned record, said software reading each said scanned test record and comparing it to said software template and said conformity data and directing said scanner to gate each said scanned answer sheet to an appropriate accepted or rejected output tray.
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7. A system for digitizing paper based assessments into records with reduced errors, comprising:
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means for scanning said paper based assessment and creating a scanned test record from each said scanned assessment, each said scanned test record comprising as a plurality of data fields;
means connected to the output of said scanning for auto-correcting certain errors detected in said data fields of each scanned record;
means connected to the output of said scanning for analyzing said scanned test records for irregularities, and prompting a human editor for editing said irregularities in said scanned test records.
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8. A unified system for processing digitized assessment records from a distributed network, comprising:
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a server connected to the Internet;
relational database software resident within said server;
web page software resident within said server; and
error checking and prompting software resident within said server;
wherein said server receives digitized assessment records, determines if there is an apparent error in any record and sends an editing prompt to the sender of said records.
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9. An assessment workstation, comprising:
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a computer connected to the Internet or a LAN having an output therefrom and operator input thereto;
communication software on said computer;
a scanner connected to said computer;
a printer connected to said computer;
error checking software on said computer;
wherein said computer is capable of downloading an assessment test and printing same of an examinee to take;
wherein said scanner is capable of scanning an examinee assessment test answer sheet to provide a scanned test record to said computer; and
wherein said error checking software checks each scanned test record provided from said scanner and provides an editing prompt to said computer operator output.
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10. An assessment workstation, comprising:
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a computer connected to a communication network having an output therefrom and operator input thereto;
communication software resident in said computer;
a scanner connected to said computer;
error checking software resident in said computer;
wherein said scanner is capable of scanning an examinee assessment test answer sheet to provide a scanned test record to said computer; and
wherein said error checking software in said computer checks each scanned test record provided from said scanner and provides a status of the condition of said scanned test record.
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11. A method of providing, over a communications network, assessment test results derived from scanned test records, comprising the steps of:
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receiving scanned test records;
reading each said scanned test record and auto-correcting data each said record;
initial checking each scanned test record for errors in data entries thereof and providing a editing prompt for each detected error thereof;
editing of data entry errors prompted;
additional checking each scanned test record for additional errors in data entries and providing a prompt for additional editing thereof;
editing of additional errors prompted;
scoring each scanned test record free of errors; and
providing a report being an assessment of test results. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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12. A method of providing a unified web-based delivery, scoring and reporting of test assessments, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a digital library of assessment tests;
establishing a database of customer information;
receiving an on-line customer request for a test;
constructing a test menu from log-on information, customer information and assessment test library information;
receiving a customer test selection and assignment information;
making the selected test available for on-line assessment to an assigned logged-on examinee;
performing data error checking for each examinee entry and prompting for necessary changes;
thereafter providing scoring and assessment data; and
reporting assessment data to each logged-on requester.
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13. A method of providing a unified web-based delivery, scoring and reporting of paper based test assessments, comprising the steps of:
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providing an on-line test a customer;
receiving paper bubble sheets of test answers for said selected test;
scanning said bubble sheets into memory as scanned test records;
detecting irregularities in the scanned test records;
prompting an operator to correct the detected irregularities;
scoring each test record which is free of errors; and
providing on-line reporting of each scored test record. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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14. A method of providing a unified, distributed network, web-based delivery, scoring and reporting of on-line and paper based assessments, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a relational on-line database for test result assessments, customer information, examinee information, and tests;
distributing assessment tests on-line to requesting work stations;
receiving, editing, prompting and scoring on-line examinee assessments and storing test results in said relational database;
receiving paper based assessments and scanning same to produce digitized scanned assessment records;
checking each scanned assessment record for initial errors and providing editing prompts related to each;
additionally checking each initially edited scanned assessment record for additional errors and providing editing prompts related to each erroneous record;
scoring each record which is free of or edited free of detected errors;
storing assessments of each record scored in said relational database; and
providing on-line reports to customer requests. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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15. A method of providing a unified, distributed network, web-based delivery, scoring and reporting of on-line and paper based assessments, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a relational on-line database for test result assessments, customer information, examinee information, and tests;
distributing assessment tests on-line to requesting work stations;
receiving, editing, prompting and scoring on-line examinee assessments as and storing test results in said relational database;
receiving paper based assessments and scanning same to produce digitized scanned assessment records;
checking each scanned assessment record for initial errors and providing editing prompts related to each;
additionally checking each initially edited scanned assessment record for additional errors and providing additional editing prompts related to each erroneous record;
scoring each scanned assessment record which is free of or edited free of detected errors and storing test results in said relational database;
printing a distributed test at a customer site;
scanning paper based assessments at a customer site to provide digitized scanned assessment records;
error checking each scanned assessment record at said customer site for initial errors and providing editing prompts related to each;
receiving uploaded scanned assessment records and checking each for additional errors and providing additional editing prompts related to each erroneous record;
receiving scanned assessment records which are free of or edited free of errors and scoring each record which is free of errors or edited free of errors and storing test results in said relational database; and
reporting assessments, on-line, from said relational database in response to customer requests. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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16. A method of scanning and editing assessment tests for providing digitized scanned records suitable for use by a delivery, scoring and reporting system, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a plurality of paper based test answer papers;
scanning each said test answer paper to generate a scanned record;
auto-correcting each scanned record for any easily resolved errors detected;
checking each auto-corrected scanned record for errors in field data;
separating each test answer paper for which field data errors are detected;
prompting an operator for editing field data errors from said separated test answer paper;
checking each scanned record for absence of field data errors and thereupon checking each scanned record for test assignment related errors;
prompting an operator for editing test assignment related errors; and
delivering each test record which is free of errors or edited free of error, in a digitized format, to a system capably of on-line delivery, scoring and reporting.
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17. A web-based method of using a computer for editing errors from scanned test records, comprising the steps of:
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presenting a report of the scanned test records;
visually indicating a individual scanned test record in which an error is present, including visually indicating each error present therein;
additionally presenting a report of additionally scanned test record; and
visually indicating an individual scanned test record in which an additional error is present. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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18. A method using a computer for editing errors from scanned test records, comprising the steps of:
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presenting a spreadsheet of the scanned test results of a group of interest with each row representing a subgroup;
visually indicating a row in which scanned test record errors appear;
selecting a visually indicated row to bring up a further spreadsheet of scanned test results of the subgroup of interest;
repeating the presenting, visually indicating and selecting steps until the spreadsheet is a group of individual examinees, with each row in that spreadsheet being the scanned test record of an examinee;
visually indicating a cell in the examinee spreadsheet which contains an error; and
editing the error thereby removing the visual indication. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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28. The method of claim 27, wherein said editing of data entry errors prompted includes the steps of:
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inspecting the respective bubble sheet entries of the examinee for which visually indicated cell appears;
determining the correct data entry;
computer selecting the erroneous cell entry; and
replacing the selected erroneous entry with a correct entry. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification